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Christmas Day shooting: Witnesses point to drugs, possible conspiracy

By Becky Metrick

bmetrick@publicopinionnews.com @BeckyMetrickPO on Twitter

Updated:
01/28/2014 05:11:52 PM EST

Mickle Schaffer

Chambersburg >> Drugs and possible conspiracy for armed robbery were the themes of Mickle Shaffer's preliminary hearing on Tuesday morning. Seven witnesses were called to the stand to talk about the incident in which Shaffer, 54, allegedly shot and killed Jannoris Hughes, 21, after Hughes tried to rob Shaffer's mobile home on Christmas Day.

The Commonwealth, represented by John Lisko, questioned Franklin County Coroner Jeff Conner and witnesses Shanice Prowell and Dan Eshelman. Prowell testified that she had been at Shaffer's home with three other people "bagging up work," which she clarified was crack cocaine, on Christmas Eve. Eshelman, who said he didn't know any of the others in the home aside from Shaffer, also said that he had gone to Shaffer's home that night to get some crack and smoke it with Shaffer.

Prowell testified that Terry "Dreads" Fulton, 36, was called to the home as well and arrived in the early hours of Christmas Day. According to Prowell, she was in the living room when she heard shouting from the front of the trailer. Hughes then came in demanding that she, as well as the others in the trailer, go to the back bedroom and strip.

Prowell said that while everyone else seemed to be following orders, Fulton did not and instead went after Hughes, and they fought in the hallway. She remembers hearing at least one shot, and then Hughes ran away.

Prowell testified that Fulton picked up Hughes' gun and wouldn't let anyone help him. Instead he took off, and left the gun in Shaffer's home.

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One of the people whom Prowell mentioned was with her was 20-year-old Darius Spoonhour, who she claimed drove her and another friend to Shaffer's home. Defense attorney William Costopoulos called Spoonhour to the stand, and questioned his relationship with the alleged armed robber. He also corroborated the majority of Prowell's recounting of the incident.

Spoonhour testified that on the night of the incident, he had been in contact with Hughes, not necessarily telling him where he was or what he was doing, but instead agreeing to drive Hughes to Gettysburg. Spoonhour claimed that he didn't know Hughes well, having met in 10th grade Spanish, but said "I guess nobody else would take him."

Spoonhour also testified that after picking Hughes up, without seeing any gun, and instead of taking Hughes all the way to Gettysburg he ended up dropping off the alleged armed robber at an out-of-business grocery store, Henicle's Market, 7798 Lincoln Way East, Fayetteville. An internet map search puts the store approximately 2.7 miles away from Shaffer's home.

"We were talking and then he was yelling at me, telling me to 'let me the F- out,'" Spoonhour said, regarding why he left Hughes where he did. He also estimated that the closed grocery store was approximately a 20- to 30-minute walk from Shaffer's house.

Trooper Justin Long testified that the gun Hughes used in the alleged attempted robbery, was legally owned by Spoonhour and was purchased two years ago.

Long and Spoonhour both testified that there currently aren't any charges pending against Spoonhour, but Long said there are various warrants out for more evidence regarding the relationship between Hughes and the rest of the people in Shaffer's house.

Spoonhour testified that Shaffer found Hughes hiding inside his car just feet from the trailer, which is when he allegedly shouted "I got him!" although he did not see Hughes' hiding place specifically because he had been inside the trailer. Spoonhour said that after the incident Shaffer told the group where he had found Hughes. Shaffer allegedly told police that he found Hughes underneath Spoonhour's car, State Trooper David Rush testified.

Conner also testified that the gunshot wound that killed Hughes started in his lower back, and had an upward trajectory toward his heart and stopped in the right lung. Conner also testified that they found a shell casing from a bullet "right near the body."

Trooper Long also testified that there had been an attempt to interview Fulton, who was shot in the thigh, forearm and whose neck was grazed in his struggle with Hughes. However, he was in the hospital at the time of the interview, and Long said the interview was very limited to the point of Fulton saying "S--- happens," and leaving it at that.

In Costopoulos' closing statement, he said the case "cries out for dismissal," because Shaffer was afraid of a man who attacked him in his home. When he found the intruder hiding feet from his mobile home, he felt there was the same level of danger as before, and ordered Hughes not to move. Costopoulos argued that because he ordered Hughes not to move, and he did, "(Shaffer) wasn't waiting for this guy to move."

Lisko argued that because Shaffer allegedly threatened to kill Hughes after he had already fled the scene, and that because Hughes was running away when he was shot, the case should be sent to trial. He said the forensic pathology report stating that the bullet moved up through Hughes' body was key, because it proved the victim was going uphill.

The case was sent to trial after closing arguments.

After the hearing Shaffer was returned to Franklin County Jail. Shaffer is facing a charge of criminal homicide, as well as drug-related charges for the use of crack cocaine. He was denied bail.

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